India’s Figuring Out with Raj Shamani has overtaken two of podcasting’s biggest names to become the most-subscribed video podcast in the world, according to figures reported by Podnews.
The milestone puts Shamani ahead of Steven Bartlett’s The Diary of a CEO and Joe Rogan’s The Joe Rogan Experience, and highlights how global audiences are reshaping the video-podcast leaderboard.
Key takeaways
- Figuring Out with Raj Shamani has 22.1 million subscribers, ahead of The Diary of a CEO at 21.9 million and The Joe Rogan Experience at 21.1 million.
- Launched in India in 2021, Shamani’s show has featured high-profile guests and recently signed with talent agency WME.
- Platform and business shifts, including video distribution changes and advertiser responses to AI promotions, are also shaping the podcast landscape.
Shamani’s show moves into first place
The subscriber figures mark a change at the top of the video-podcast rankings. Figuring Out with Raj Shamani leads Bartlett’s The Diary of a CEO by 200,000 subscribers, while Rogan’s show sits another 800,000 behind Bartlett’s.
The numbers offer a snapshot of channel scale, though subscriber counts alone do not show how often viewers watch or how audiences engage with each episode.
Shamani launched the show in 2021 in India. Its guest list has included French President Emmanuel Macron, academic and author Scott Galloway, and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman. The show’s recent signing with WME signals growing representation from a major talent agency as it expands its profile.
For creators and production teams, the result is a reminder that video-podcast reach is not confined to established US and UK names. A strong format, recognizable guests, and a clear distribution strategy can help shows compete across markets. PodcastVideos.com covers the production and platform choices behind that evolving field.
Video distribution and AI advertising shift
Spotify’s Megaphone has rolled out HLS video distribution for Apple Podcasts customers. The company had announced plans to support Apple Podcasts in May.
The change adds another route for publishers distributing video episodes, making platform compatibility and delivery workflows important considerations for production teams.
Meanwhile, Bloomberg reported that Bill Simmons stopped accepting advertising from ChatGPT after finding that the sponsored segments did not suit his audience.
Ashley Flowers and Mel Robbins have also faced listener criticism over AI promotions, underscoring how host-read advertising depends on audience trust and a perceived fit between sponsor and show.
Staff Report
Changes at major podcast publishers
The New York Times promoted Paige Cowett to editor in chief of The Daily and appointed Nazanin Rafsanjani managing editor of the show. At WNYC Studios, Molly Webster is set to become a co-host of Radiolab, succeeding Lulu Miller.
Google has also filed a patent describing a system that could turn a user’s browsing history into a commute-length podcast, with options to moderate language.
A patent describes a proposed concept, not necessarily a product release, but it goes to show how personalization and automated audio generation may intersect with podcast listening.
